The opening of a new high school in Salinas now looks like it’s going to be delayed a year, and at least one district board member wanted to keep the bad news from going public.

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Updated: 7:23 PM PDT Oct 27, 2017

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WEBVTT IT IS HARD TO DENY THOSECOMMENTS WHEN THEY'RE CAUGHT ONAUDIOTAPE.COMMENTS MADE BY BOARD MEMBERPHILLIP TABERA WHO TODAY ISKEEPING QUIET.THE NEW RANCHO SAN JUAN HIGHSCHOOL BEING BUILT ON THENORTHERN OUTSKIRTS OF SALINASWAS SCHEDULED TO OPEN AUGUST OFNEXT YEAR.THIS WEEK THE SALINAS UNION HIGHSCHOOL BOARD WAS TOLD IT LIKELYWANT OPEN UNTIL AND AT LEAST ONE2019.BOARD MEMBER PHILLIP TABERA IS, HEARD ON AUDIO, TELLING FELLOWBOARD MEMBERS THE NEWS SHOULDNOT GO PUBLIC.>> IT IS GOOD THAT WE KNOW.I'M NOT GONNA TALK TO SOMEBODYON THE STREETS IF I SEE THEMABOUT THIS AND I WOULD URGE USALL TO DO THE SAME.FELIX: THE CONSTRUCTION DELAYSTIED IN LARGE PART TO LASTWINTER'S MONSTER STORM THATFLOODED THE SCHOOL AND DAMAGEDWORK IN PROGRESS ALONG WITH, DELAYS IN GETTING MUCH NEEDEDMATERIALS WITH NO DATES AS TOWHEN THEY MIGHT ARISE.>> STUDENTS, PARENTS,OVERCROWDING.WE NEED THE SPACE.TO WAIT ANOTHER YEAR IS, WELL,TO QUOTE THE BOARD MEMBERS, ITIS UNACCEPTABLE.FELIX: OTHERS ARE SAYING THEBOARD'S DECISION TO MAKE THEPROJECT A UNION WORKSITE BYAGREENING TO A PROJECT LABORAGREEMENT IS LEADING TO THECONSTRUCTION DELAYS, ANDULTIMATELY A DELAY IN OPENINGTHE NEW SCHOOL.>> WE TALKING MONEY AND TIME.THIS AFFECTS THE ENTIRECOMMUNITY AREAS THEY PUT THATALL THE B -- THIS AFFECTS THEENTIRE COMMUNITY.THEY PUT THAT ON THE BALLOT.REPORTER: -->> PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY HAVELABOR SHORTAGES, THEY ARE NOTTELLING THE TRUTH.REPORTER: IS THERE A LABORSHORTAGE?>> THERE IS NO LABOR SHORTAGE.PHIL: THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL SUCH ACONCERN THAT DISTRICTSUPERINTENDENT DAN BURNS WILL BESCHEDULING A SPECIAL MEETINGNEXT WEDNESDAY AT 5:00 ATP.M. DISTRICT OFFICES TO FURTHERDISCUSS THE DELAYS AND POSSIBLYGET SOME INPUT FROM BOARDMEMBERS AS TO THE DIRECTION THEYWANT HIM TO TAKE REGARDINGCONSTRUCTION DELAYS.DAN: AT THIS POINT, IT ISUNKNOWN HOW MUCH THE DELAYS

Salinas school board member encourages secrecy

The opening of a new high school in Salinas now looks like it’s going to be delayed a year, and at least one district board member wanted to keep the bad news from going public.